Sony to Manage US Sales Distribution for Sware

Park Ridge, NJ (December 16, 2003)--Sony Electronics' Broadcast and Production Systems division will now manage the U.S. sales and distribution of Sony Media Software's professional video and audio production tools in the pro A/V, music industry and government channels. These products encompass all of the former desktop software assets of Sonic Foundry, which were acquired by Sony Pictures Digital in July, and include such tools as Vegas, Vegas + DVD, Sound Forge and ACID.

Park Ridge, NJ (December 16, 2003)--Sony Electronics' Broadcast and Production Systems division will now manage the U.S. sales and distribution of Sony Media Software's professional video and audio production tools in the pro A/V, music industry and government channels. These products encompass all of the former desktop software assets of Sonic Foundry, which were acquired by Sony Pictures Digital in July, and include such tools as Vegas, Vegas + DVD, Sound Forge and ACID.

"The capabilities of these software tools complement and strengthen Sony Electronics' professional audio and video equipment," said Steve Jacobs, senior vice president of Sony's Broadcast and Production Systems division. "Under this new arrangement, the combined availability of both hardware and software through our sales and marketing channels now provides professional customers with a complete and unprecedented 'one-stop' Sony-based A/V production workflow from acquisition to online editing to display."

The integration of the media software line into Sony Electronics' sales and distribution channels also underscores the importance of two key customer segments: the rapidly growing "pro-sumer" field and the established professional audio and video market. Jacobs said that the growth of the pro-sumer market has been enabled by a wider range of access for users to performance levels traditionally associated with high-end, and higher-priced, technologies. "Just as today's $4,000 DVCAM camcorder performs on a par with the $40,000 camcorders of the recent past, Sony Media Software gives pro-sumers the capabilities of several racks worth of high-end professional gear, all on their PC," Jacobs explained.

The acquisition of the Sonic Foundry software line was a significant part of Sony Pictures Digital's ongoing effort to maximize its digital services' capabilities and infrastructure, which not only make information and entertainment available anytime on any enabled device, but also enable individuals to take more control over how they enjoy, and manage, their media.

"Sony is committed to delivering entertainment to consumers through multiple channels," said Patrick Kennedy, executive vice president of Sony Pictures Digital Networks, a business unit of Sony Pictures Digital. "As broadband access has become increasingly more pervasive, the options for consumers have expanded, creating new markets and opportunities. Working across all Sony divisions, Sony Pictures Digital will provide the technological know-how and the infrastructure to deliver our content deeper into the marketplace."

The Sony Media Software Group offers a software engineering team with expertise in media software development. It also gives Sony Pictures Digital a strong line of business with award-winning and market-proven software. "Sony Pictures has expertise in the sales, marketing and distribution of packaged entertainment media like DVDs," Kennedy said. "Sony Media Software and Sony Electronics have the combined sales and marketing expertise in pairing hardware and software solutions that best serve the products, the channel and our customers."